Sylvan Laker wants to see more “No Hunting” signs

Sylvan Laker, Barb Herbert figures her dog, Maya, was shot and killed April 1, the day Maya went missing. The black and white Husky took off chasing a deer west of RR 15 in Norglenwold area while the two were out for a walk. Herbert spent hours calling for her with no answer.

Herbert said Maya always came when called but this time there was no Husky running out of the woods to great her owner. Maya was wearing a collar with tags, one of them bright red.

On April 5, Herbert was out with two of her neighbors when they found Maya’s body, approximately a half kilometre east of range road 20 and a half a kilometre south of Honeymoon Drive on another neighbor’s property. Lying near a fallen deer, Maya had a clean gunshot wound just in front of her left ear. One of the neighbors carried the dog’s 100 pound body over his shoulders back to the car.

Since it is not illegal to shoot a dog and the property Maya was found on did not have “No Hunting” signs posted, there is nothing the RCMP can do to pursue the incident at this point. Herbert says she is “devastated.”

“I want everyone to beware. A lot of people down there come in the summer with their kids and their dogs and they need to know this is going on and be careful,” Herbert said, adding that this is not the first time a dog has been shot in the area.

Herbert said the village sent out a notice, alerting people to keep their children close but no mention was made of where Maya was shot.

Herbert and her neighbour found footprints near Maya’s body but said all it proves is that someone was right where she was. They followed the footprints through the snow but the wind had been blowing and they lost the tracks after only a short distance.

“She’s an innocent dog that was chowing down on a dead deer and doing no harm anywhere.”

Herbert said Maya had her tags on and if someone had her in their scope they would be able to see she was clearly not a coyote or wolf.

“In my mind and heart I feel someone just did a cruel cruel thing,” she said, adding that she has been in contact with all her neighbours in the area to discuss the incident and has met with overwhelming support.

Herbert said she’ll be working with her neighbours to post more “No Hunting” signs. The property to the west of range road 15 has signs posted and the property on the east side of the property Maya’s body was found on also has signs but Herbert thinks there needs to be more to get the message across. Specifically, she wants to see “No Hunting” signs put up on the the property where Maya’s body was found to prevent another incident from occurring.

“I just want people aware that this is going on. I want people in the summer village to not go out there until [all the ‘No hunting’ signs] are posted.”